The Healthcare Scam

Should I blog about the day I had today? Had I blogged this morning, this would be full of rants and raves and more likely than not quite unintelligible. But I am calmer now, although it doesn't make the situation any more "right."

I am mad at Corporate America. We call it the NCR - the New Corporate Regime - and I have one more thing to add to the list of the NCR's transgressions: the medical field. This includes health care, doctors, pharmaceuticals...the whole shebang.

I understand that all professions are chosen with either the intention to make money, or because it is something one enjoys doing. I would have to imagine that being a doctor would bring both! Imagine being not only financially rewarded for your work but also going home at the end of the day knowing that you made a difference in someone's life. Or, possibly saved a life altogether! Anyone who has that type of responsibility in his or her hands should be rewarded accordingly. I understand this. However, I also understand that the human life is a fragile thing, and we, as people, are reliant on doctors and the medical industry to keep us healthy and alive. We should not be exploited for this, but we are.

Somewhere between 15 and 20% of Americans do not have health insurance. I am fortunate to not be part of this statistic. A little more than a year ago, while covered under health insurance through Aetna, I underwent surgery. All in all, my out-of-pocket expenses were minimal when compared with the overall cost of the surgery and all the tests and appointments that led up to it. However, a year later I am still making payments for my portion of the bill that the insurance did not cover. I am not making these payments to the doctor directly, but to a collection agency, because the doctor's office will not accept a payment plan and they would not allow me to charge the patient balance to my library card (haha). My account was turned over to collections approximately a month after the surgery.

Due to the nature of the illness, I needed to maintain a follow up appointment two weeks after the surgery, which I did, as well as one more 3 months later, and again 6 months later, which I did not do. I don't like doctors to begin with, and going to one is not on my list of favorite things to do. The six months came and went, and I honestly didn't even realize until 9 months after the surgery, which was this past March. 

In March I called the doctor's office and attempted to make an appointment. It was on my mind and I figured I should get it over with. I called, and when my account was pulled up I was told that I needed to call the billing office first, and then once I was scheduled for monthly payments I could continue with my treatment from the doctor. I wrote down the number and called. For this second phone call to the billing office, my account was pulled up again and this time I was told that it had been turned over to collections and I would need to work something out with them. I jotted down this number, but by this time I had already wasted 15 minutes and didn't have more time to invest. Besides, I didn't really NEED to go to the doctor's office anyway. 

March passed and I never called the collection agency. In April, I received a phone call at work from a representative at the collection agency. I was probably her easiest account that day, as I actually welcomed the call and arranged a monthly payment plan with her, knowing that I could now follow up on my treatment as needed and make sure everything was going well, health-wise. 

I began making payments but felt no need to rush in making an appointment until Sunday morning when I woke up with what felt like labor pains. I remember very well what it felt like to have both of my children, and this was no different. If I hadn't known better, I would think I was about to have a third child yesterday morning. I spent the better part of the day with painful cramps and heavy pressure that I tried to contain, as not to ruin our family day. Then the spotting started. My first thought was that I should take a pregnancy test just to be on the safe side and rule that out. I did. Negative. Then I remembered what it was like in the Fall of 2006 when I had this same thing – the spotting, the pressure and the cramps – for a couple weeks. I chose to ignore it, because at that time I happened to fall into that 15-20% of Americans that were uninsured. Choosing to ignore it cost me to lose the majority of my cervix, as well as the probability of carrying a child to term. I thank God for my two children now, and I didn't want to have a third until the day that the doctor told me I shouldn't consider any more children, as no one should put themselves in a position to be set up for such risk and disappointment. Immediately, after hearing those words, I wanted a child. I know the type of person I am – I need to be in complete control of myself and my surroundings, and when I am not, well, I lose control. And this was no different. 

This morning when I woke up the cramps were less and so was the spotting, but I just don't feel right and they are not gone completely. I knew I needed to call the doctor again and make an appointment, and now that I am making payments each month this should be no big deal, right? Wrong.

I went through the same process today as I did back in March, only the end result was different. It took me 15 minutes again to get an appointment, and after I had secured a slot for 10:15 this Wednesday morning, the woman on the phone from the billing office actually had the nerve to say to me, "This doesn't mean you can stop making payments on your past due amount, you know." I know at that point I should have told her to piss off, but under the circumstances, I feel that it is best for my health benefit to see the same doctor for this. I hope I made the right decision.

Some facts from the National Coalition on Healthcare -

♥     The average employee contribution to company-provided health insurance has increased more than 143 percent since 2000. Average out-of-pocket costs for deductibles, co-payments for medications, and co-insurance for physician and hospital visits rose 115 percent during the same period

♥     The percentage of Americans under age 65 whose family-level, out-of-pocket spending for health care, including health insurance, that exceeds $2,000 a year, rose from 37.3 percent in 1996 to 43.1 percent in 2003 - a 16 percent increase. (This was the last year of tracking available for this statistic, so I can only imagine what the figures are for 2008. I know my family falls into this category. We have a $3000 yearly deductible).

♥     One in four Americans say their family has had a problem paying for medical care during the past year, up 7 percentage points over the past nine years. Nearly 30 percent say someone in their family has delayed medical care in the past year, a new high based on recent polling. Most say the medical condition was at least somewhat serious.

♥     A recent study by Harvard University researchers found that the average out-of-pocket medical debt for those who filed for bankruptcy was $12,000. The study noted that 68 percent of those who filed for bankruptcy had health insurance. In addition, the study found that 50 percent of all bankruptcy filings were partly the result of medical expenses. Every 30 seconds in the United States someone files for bankruptcy in the aftermath of a serious health problem.